T.K. Wetherell has extensive experience in state government. He served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1980 to 1992, the last two years as Speaker of the House. During his tenure in the House, he was chairman of the appropriations committee and the higher education committee. The Miami Herald named him one of the Top Ten Legislative Leaders in the House each year from 1987 until 1992. During his years in the legislative process Florida enacted some of the most progressive education legislation in America.

EXPERIENCED IN HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP

Wetherell has a broad and unique understanding of higher education in Florida and throughout the southeastern United States. He is a former president of Florida State University, one of the nation's elite research universities with the Carnegie Foundation's highest designation, Doctoral/Research University-Extensive.

He also is the former president of Tallahassee Community College and has more than 35 years of experience in the Florida's educational system. Wetherell has experience in all four major divisions within higher education, having held positions in the offices of academic affairs, student services, business affairs, and college development. He has held leadership positions in two-year as well as four-year colleges, and he has served as a faculty member in both public and private institutions of higher education.

While serving as president of Florida State University, Wetherell hosted the WFSU Public Television program "Issues in Education." Before becoming president of Florida State, Wetherell was a principal in Southern Strategy Group, a top Tallahassee lobbying firm.

He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in social studies education from FSU in 1967 and 1968 respectively. He also earned a doctorate in education administration from FSU in 1974.

Virginia B. Wetherell's top-level leadership experience in both the public and private sectors spans more than 30 years. A long-time resident of Florida, she had a successful business career, serving on the Board of Directors of Pepsi Bottling Co., Pensacola, where she was Vice President of Coastal Transportation and also Vice President of Gator Vend.

She is co-founder of Florida Biomass Energy, LLC developing medium scale power production facilities in the biomass segment of the renewable energy industry.

In 1982, she was the first female ever elected to the Florida House of Representatives from Pensacola. She was also the first woman ever re-elected to the Florida House from West Florida and the first female from the region to chair a major committee (International Travel and Economic Development) and to serve on the powerful Appropriations Committee.

In 1991, she was unanimously named by the Governor and Cabinet as Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources, the first woman to ever hold that position. In 1993, she was appointed by the Governor as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Regulation and was subsequently appointed the Secretary of the newly created Department of Environmental Protection, and served in that position until 1998.

She earned a bachelor's degree from Auburn University and later received a master's degree from Jacksonville State University. She also studied at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Specific Areas of Expertise:

  • Environmental Policy
  • Member/Staff Relations
  • Executive Branch Operations
  • Legislative Process